This sweet potato raisin bread has a thick coarse crumb, is just slightly sweet and makes the perfect breakfast toast. It’s a hearty fall treat.

Last week in North Carolina, when we weren’t hiking, I pretty much lived in the same outfit all week long: Ulysses’ sweat pants from the police academy, a tank with an oversized hoodie, fuzzy socks and slippers. I was the definition of frumpy. To the point where my husband who has never made a comment in eight years about the fact that I pretty much live in either workout clothes or pajamas even said something jokingly.

It was a cabin in the middle of nowhere North Carolina, it was vacation, we were drinking hot chocolate and playing Monopoly every night, the outfit was justified in my mind.

Then, however, I went to Target this past weekend with the sole purpose of buying this ridiculously comfy cowl neck sweater thing and ended up walking out of the store with that, pajama pants and two pairs of sweat pants (because the ones I’ve had since freshman year of college and wear 24/7 every winter might just be on their last leg).

This time though, there’s no vacation log cabin in the middle of the woods and cozy nights with board games and hot chocolate to blame.

And it hit me:

I’m turning into a middle aged frumpy mom minus the kids.

As long as the lower stomach pouch isn’t next though, I’m cool with it.

Good things happen in sweat pants and oversized hoodies anyway.

Like this sweet potato raisin bread.

I’m kind of obsessed with this bread. It’s got an awesome crumbly texture from the cornmeal and it’s super versatile; from eating it alongside your breakfast (so good toasted with some butter!) to sandwich bread or even just as a savory side to dinner. I even toasted and chopped up the end piece of the loaf to use as croutons in a salad the other day.

It’s perfect and cozy and totally deserves a pair of sweats while eating it.

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Sweet Potato Raisin Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes

This sweet potato raisin bread has a thick coarse crumb, is just slightly sweet and makes the perfect breakfast toast. It’s a hearty fall treat.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) yeast
• 3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup raisins

Instructions

1. Combine milk, sugar and salt in a small sauce pot over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
2. Add butter, turn off the heat and let cool to room temperature.
3. Combine warm water and yeast in a small bowl, stir gently and set aside for 5 minutes until yeast starts to bloom.
4. Place the sweet potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook and mix on medium speed for 1 minute.
5. Pour the liquid from the sauce pot and the yeast mixture into the mixer and continue mixing.
6. Add the flour, cornmeal and nutmeg to the mixer slowly and mix until incorporated.
7. Add the raisins and mix until the dough pulls away from the edges and forms a ball.
8. Turn dough out onto floured surface, knead a few times until glossy, form into a bowl and place in an oiled bowl.
9. Cover the bowl with a towel and place in a warm spot to rise for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
10. Punch down in the bowl, turn out onto a floured surface and roll the dough into a rectangle about 8x12 in size.
11. Fold in thirds and place dough in a greased loaf pan.
12. Cover with a towel and let rise again until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
13. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
14. Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes until top is browned.
15. Remove from the oven, let cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring bread to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Notes

Lightly adapted from Food52 via Roy Finamore

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